Laundry assorting apparatus



. E 8% M wm' vfi y 24, 1932- I J. H. LYNCH 1,859,307

LAUNDRY ASSORTING' APPARATUS Filed Jan. 50, 1929 $|3 I'D I! IIZ ll L 0 WY .543 a t x 14' 0% OZ 3 WITNESS 5/ H by Patented May 24, 1932 PA ENT JOSEPH I-I. LYNCH, F ASBUBY PARK, JERSEY i LAUNDRY ASSOR'IING Arrnnn'rus A plication filed January 30, 1929. Serial No. 336,161.

This invention relates to the tag system of keeping articles in process of being laundered properly identified for each customer and I recoverable in customer groups when the laundry processes are completed.

A commonpractice is to sort each customers laundry as'it comes in, putting articles of various kinds requiring different treatments in separate nets, then have attached to them identification tags which have identical numbers stamped thereon. The nets may then be put through the laundering processes with other netshaving similar kinds of articles but tagged with diife'rent identi- 'fication numbers with the certainty that when the laundering is completed, the various kinds of articles of a particular customer may be brought together again through the medium .of' the identification tags.

To facilitate the reassembly of the articles in customers groups, tag holders are provided, and to make confusion impossible, these holders are provided with characteristic admittance means, the tags having similar characteristic admittance means so that only-the tags of a certain number (and therefore of 'a certain customer) may be assembled on the holder having that number.

The present invention relates to improvements on such apparatus and comprises a portable holder. with means on the holder for admitting only tags having a, number the same as that of the holder, and provided also -with means for'preventing the removal of the tags when once inserted in the holder, said means being releasable only when the holder is applied to a holder support, which may be a fixture on a wall or table, the support ibeing provided with meansfor accomplishing this release by the act of inserting the holder in the support.

The invention further comprises means for giving an instant count of the number of tags and therefore of the number of articles of tha t group going through the laundry, said means comprising a calibration on the sides of the holder," o'r of the holder and support, with tags having a uniform thickness so that when the tags are pressed together and up against the end of the holder, each tag will be in line with a number of the calibration,

so that the number opposite the last tag will be numerically equal to the number of tags 1n the holder. In reassembling it becomes an easy matter, therefore, to make sure that all the articles sent out to the laundry have been returned.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which p Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tag holder and a wall support for the same;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal'vertical section of the same; 7 l

Figure '3 is a similar section of the tag holder removed from the support;

liigure 4 is, an end view of the tag holder; an

Figure 5 is a transverse section through the tag holderlooking toward the front end.

The tag holder 1 is preferably made in the form of a square'tube, the bottom of which is slotted longitudinally through the middle. Identification tags 2' are provided with slotted parts '3 that are adapted to engage with the edges of the slotted base of the holder, so as to insure the registry of the tag with an admission plate4f The upper part of the tag and the admission plate have characteristic contours that act as lock and key, each plate and therefore each holder permitting the admission of only one form of tag. The tags and the matching holders are stamped with identical numbers. To prevent the tag from turning, I provide a rear portion 5, which also fitting closely in the slot in the bottom of the holder gives a longitudinal dimension to the tag that keeps the same at right angles to the carrier. 1 The tags may 96 have the usual safety pins, shown at 6, with corresponding numbers stamped thereon for the attachment of the tag to a garment or a net holding garments. To prevent the tags from coming out of the holder, or from being taken out of the holder when once they have been placed therein, I provide a latch 6 adja cent the admission plate 4, which latch is pivoted at 7 in the sides of the holder and normally hangs in a vertical position to part- 199 1y close the orifice in the admission plate, as shown in Figures 3 and 5.

The tags, however, in being pushed through the admission plate, tip the latch out of the way, which then falls behind them preventing their removal. When, however, it is desired to remove the tags to place them on incominglaundry, the tag holder ism. serted in a tag support 8 which may be secured to the wall or the assorting table, and into which the tag holder'closely fits; At thebase of the support I provide a pin 9 which, upon the tag holder being shoved clear in; impinges against a rod 10 which, extending throughout the length o'f'the holder, operates against the upper part of the latch to trip or open the same to permit the extraction of the tags. 7 v

On the side of the holder 1 andithe sup.- port 8, I place a calibration in the form of numbers, the spacing of which accurately corresponds to the spacing of the tags when they arepushed close together. The number opposite the end .tag. will, therefore, indicate the number of tags in the holder, and givesa ready means of determining whether the assembly of the laundry of a'particular customer is complete.

In using the apparatus, the operator will sort incoming laundry into difie'rent classes,

putting each kind into a separate net bag- Each bag. will: thenhave attached to.- it by means of the safety pin 6 a tag, the tag holder. being: supported in the-support at this time so as'to enable the operator to withdrawthetags. When the laundry offthisparticular customer has beenthus sorted,and the nets all tagged, the number of tags left in the holder will be an indication of the number of tags that are being used. in. the laundry processes- The. net filled with the laundry will then go through the laundry withother nets holding similar kinds of. laundry for other customers. When: the laundry process: is

complete, the operator taking the tagholders from their supports will placet-he different tags in their appropriate holders being. aided in this by. the fact that tags can only go in holders having. admission plates corresponding to the-contour of-the tag being inserted. When thefull number of tags belonging to any particular customer have been insertedin' the holder, a fact easily ascertained by the calibration above described; the articles may be unpinned from the tags and made admittance of tags to the holder and preventing. their: retractionithrnugh the admission plate, and means for'holding the latch open topermit theremoval of the tags.

3. A laundry tag holder having an admission plate at one' 'end with an opening therethrough. having a contour; adapted: to

act as. a. selective means for admittingonlyI a:

tag having a correspondingcontour, a. latch mechanism permitting the. admittance. oftags. to the holderandz' preventing. their removal,..

and. means for holding thelatch .opento per. mit the rem oval of. the.tags, saidlmeansccom= prising. a support for. the holder. andmeans: in the support forimpinging againstthe: latch mechanismto hold theilatch. open when.

the holder is. in thesupport.

4. A; laundry tag holder having a selective plate for. selectively permitting admission to the. holder of tags: having, corresponding; selective means, a pivoted; latchback ofi'the: selective plate. for preventing the removallof the tags. fromthe..holder,-.a rod connected: to

the latch and extendingthrough. the holder to the rear thereof, awall. support. for. the.

holder, said wallsupport being providedw-ith an abutment. for. unlocking said. .reventive meansby impingingon thesaidro 'when. the holder isinserted inthesupport...

5. Al laundry tag. holder having; calibra-.

tionr numbers on. the outside thereof, the in.- tervals between calibrations. corresponding.

to the thickness of." the. tagsato. serve as. as.

means of ascertaining, the number of tagszin the holder, and. a. support. adapted. to. re-

ceive said. solder, said support having. corresponding calibrations coacting, with-the calibrations on the holder. when the latter.

is completely inserted in thesupporttoindir cate the total. number. of tags. in the. holder..

6. A laundry tag holder. comprising aportable tubular member having a. longitudinal slot. forming a guide-way.- for. tags" andlohstructe d at both ends, one. of the. obstructions beingmovable to free the opening at that end,

and having at the end controlled. by said movable obstruction, an admission plate having a contour adapted: to act asa selective means for admitting only a. tag having a. corresponding contour.

7. A laundry assorting apparatus comprising in combination, a fixed tubular member and a portable. tubular. member, one of. said tubular members adaptedto be: slid endwise contour.

JOSEPH H. LYNCH. 

